President Francois Hollande said Thursday that Islam could co-exist with secularism, warning in a key speech seen aspreparing the ground for a re-election bid that the anti-terror fight should not undermine French values . "Nothing in the idea of secularism opposes the practice of Islam in France, provided it respects the law," Hollande said. Mayors in around 30 French towns this summer cited the country's century-old secular laws in banning head-to-toe swimwear on their beaches, unleashing a furore. As to whether Islam can co-exist with a secular French state, like Christianity and Judaism do, he insisted: "My answer is yes, certainly." 'Democracy is our weapon'In a wide-ranging speech Hollande cast himself as the defender of democracy in the face of a string of terror attacks that have left over 230 people dead since January 2015.

Source: The Local September 08, 2016 10:47 UTC